Presently insulators are used to support the conducting material of electric fences. These insulators are generally secured to fence posts via screws, staples or other fixing elements.
To secure insulators to posts generally requires a farmer to hold both the insulator and the fixing element. Understandably affixing the insulator to the support structures can be a fiddly affair. It is very easy to drop the fixing element while obtaining the device to engage the fixing element, for example a hammer, or a screwdriver. This results in either wasting resources by leaving the fixing element on the ground, or alternatively having to reach down and scramble around trying to find it on the ground, which can be difficult when working over rough ground.
Another drawback is that currently the fixing element must be directly held onto, to avoid it falling out. This increases the chance of hitting your thumb or fingers during the process of fixing the insulator to the supporting structure, for example a fence post.
Consequently, fixing insulators to supporting structures can be frustrating, and either a time consuming exercise, or wasteful of resources. These problems make the present system of affixing insulators an inefficient process, demanding more time and resources than are necessary.
It is an object of the present invention to address the foregoing problems or at least to provide the public with a useful choice.
Further aspects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the ensuing description which is given by way of example only.
According to one aspect of the present invention there is provided an insulator capable of supporting the conducting material of an electric fence,
characterised in that
the insulator includes at least one retaining-portion capable of retaining at least one fixing element to the insulator prior to the insulator being affixed to a support structure with the fixing element.
According to a further aspect of the present invention there is provided a method of affixing to a support structure an insulator capable of supporting the conducting material of an electric fence characterised by the steps of
(a) placing a fixing element in at least one retaining-portion in the insulator capable of retaining the fixing element, and
(b) fixing the insulator with the fixing element to the support structure.
It is envisaged that the retaining-portion may have a variety of different shapes and configurations without departing from the scope of the present invention.
There are provided standard apertures in insulators through which fixing elements pass to secure the insulators to the support.
In general, the retaining-portion may be in the form of an opening of a configuration capable of holding a fixing element to a greater degree than would normally be provided by the standard apertures.
In some embodiments the opening of the retaining-portion may include a number of projections which project into the opening. The projections may be made from a material which is at least partially resilient.
In preferred embodiments, inserting the fixing element into opening causes distortion of the projections, which are then able to frictionally engage the fixing element so as to retain it within the opening.
In preferred embodiments, the retaining-portion may be in the form of an opening which includes a number of flaps which project therein. The flaps which project therein may also be made from a partially resilient material, for example nylon or plastic.
In some other embodiments the retaining-portion may be in the form of an opening of a size and configuration which enables it to frictionally engage the fixing element so as to retain it within the opening. Preferably the opening in such embodiments may be made surrounded by at least partially resilient material.
In one embodiment the opening may be of a narrower girth than the rest of the aperture through which the fixing element passes.
Alternatively the whole of the opening may be of a smaller size than the cross-section of the fixing means. It is the resilient material around the opening that xe2x80x98givesxe2x80x99 to hold the fixing element.
The retaining-portion may be capable of holding the fixing elements in the orientation required to enable the element to affix the insulator to the support member/structure.
Some embodiments may just hold the fixing element before the user places it into the aperture for fixing. However, these embodiments have less advantages than the previous one.
It is envisaged that the fixing element may be any device capable of affixing an insulator to a support member/structure.
It is envisaged the fixing elements may include nails, screws and staples. However, it should be appreciated that this list is not intended to be limiting.
In general, the support member may be a fence post, or the outer surface of a building or other structure. Again, this should not be seen as necessarily limiting the scope of the present invention.
An advantage of the present invention may have over existing insulators, is that the process of affixing insulators to support structures is facilitated rendering it less fiddly to undertake. Thus, the present invention also enables less time to be spent on the exercise, and less resources lost, creating a more efficient method of affixing insulators to their supporting structures.
Also, by removing the requirement to hold the fixing element there is less pain and frustration occuring due to injuries.